The Making of Humans

To describe how humans are made should either be ridiculously simple and require only a paragraph or, possibly, only a sentence or two.  On the other hand, the topic may be so complex and profound, it requires writing a book!  If I think about the short version, I can imagine some jokester say the only thing it takes to make a human is a sex act.  It does not even need to be between husband and wife.  We know that kids are created out of wedlock all the time.  It is that simple.  When I think about how complex the process is, I abstain from doing the project.  I don’t think I know enough to write that book.

I was prompted to think about this topic when I recently began planning for teaching my class again on spiritual disciplines.  I am confident people in churches and mosques and synagogues who are old hands at the religious life know a thing or two about spiritual disciplines.  It is easy to read a little about Jesus and quickly know how important the life of discipline was for him.  He has a fair amount to say about prayer.  He also describes the helpfulness of other disciplines, namely, things like fasting, almsgiving, worship and the list can be elaborated.  Leaders in other spiritual traditions are no exception.

It is pretty easy to convince students that it is difficult to become practiced in some arena without a good bit of discipline.  Fine musicians don’t get there over a weekend.  How many times do we hear a musician say, “I have to go practice.”  Practice may make perfect, as the old saying goes.  But I don’t ever recall hearing any world-class musician say they are now perfect.  The same thing goes with athletics or any other area of life.  Even the great ones keep practicing.

I am quite confident the same thing holds true for the spiritual journey.  It is easy to make the case that spiritual growth and development needs to happen for us to make the most of our spiritual journey.  I say this, all the while recognizing that some Christians make it sound as if all I need to confess Jesus and then walk straight into heaven.  Maybe that is true and I am wrong, but right now I think it takes more than that.  I don’t deny the importance of doctrine, but even for Christians there is more to doctrine than simply confessing that “Jesus is Lord.” 

I was prompted to think about this theme of discipline when I originally read Alan Jones’ book, Soul Making.  This book was published in 1985.  That makes it sound old, but I find his ideas still quite relevant and refreshing.  The subtitle of the book is instructive: The Desert Way of Spirituality.  Jones’ approach dips back into the third, fourth and fifth Christian centuries to see what those women and men who turned away from their current culture to rediscover the spiritual path Jesus taught.  Often this literally meant heading to the desert.

It was in this desert crucible these women and men sought to revisit the question, how are humans made?  The first words of Jones’ book declare, “this is a book about how human beings are made.”  When I read these words, I was not thinking about teaching a class.  I was thinking about my own life.  I realized I was not sure how I would answer the question, how are human beings made?  I know biology and zoology classes give one answer.  I am sure psychology and sociology classes give another, different answer.  And I am confident all those classes have an angle on the truth.  I do not dismiss them.

With all the theology I have read, I have become convinced that being fully human also means being spiritual.  If a person does not discover the spiritual dimension of life, I would argue they are not fully human.  Humans are more than materiality, psychological and sociological aspects.  For example, neuroscientists know that the mind is “somehow more” than the physical brain.  They are not even sure how.  The spiritual dimension of being human is also a dimension of “somehow being more.”

So, it was I began the trek along with Alan Jones’ help (and others) to see what answering the question about making humans.  As a human, I want to be as fully made---as fully human---as I can be.  The second thing that seems sure is that some disciplines are necessary to fuel the passion to discover and become fully human.  For me one clear aspect of being fully human is to be in relationship with God and my fellow humans.  I am sure it is not a solitary journey.  Even if some of the disciplines---like solitude---are solitary, ultimately the life of the Spirit is communal. 

I realize there are typical three levels in spiritual disciplines.  The first level is awareness and knowledge.  For example, if I decide I want to meditate, there is a good bit I can learn about meditation.  What do those who know a great deal about meditation have to teach me?  Ignorance is not progress!  Secondly, I also should know how to do it.  Knowing about meditation basically changes nothing.  I need to know how to do it.  Are there better, more effective ways for me personally?  Perhaps there are options and I can experiment.

Finally, and most importantly, I actually have to practice a discipline.  Unless I actually do it, nothing changes.  I will not be fully human.  I will not be spiritual.  I know this is the hard part.  Essentially, this is the counter-cultural part.  It is much easier and fun to play video games, passively watch tv or become lost in Facebook.  They tend to offer instant rewards that make me feel engaged and important.  But I know it is like a bite of cotton candy.  The reward instantly disappears.

Being human requires some spiritual discipline and this asks us to do something.